


Hardly matters

by WrittenInCinnamon



Category: Henry Stickman (Video Games), Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Acephobia, Asexual Character, Best Friends, Found Family (if you squint ig), Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Misanthrope, Special BROvert Ops Ending | SBO (Henry Stickmin), Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:13:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26200951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrittenInCinnamon/pseuds/WrittenInCinnamon
Summary: Some soldiers in the mess hall find bullying Charles for his orientation funny. Henry'd like to argue with that.
Relationships: Charles Calvin & Henry Stickmin
Comments: 15
Kudos: 168





	Hardly matters

**Author's Note:**

> Set after the Special BROvert Operations ending.  
> (Sorry, Ellie, maybe I'll write you next time.)

Despite how much his life has turned around - y'know, from a famous thief to a special covert operations agent - Henry found only one thing in particular weird.

And that's how attached he grew to his partner, Charles Calvin.

Henry simply wasn't a people's person. People always told him he bordered on misanthropy. Yet, somehow, he managed to like Charles, more than he cared to admit. Almost like a brother he never had.

"Hey, uh, you alright?" the helicopter pilot asked. They were sitting in the mess hall and he's been apparently staring at his meal for a few minutes straight. Whoops. 

Henry, the man of few words he was, simply nodded with a soft, yet reassuring look at his partner, who seemed to be satisfied with the anwser, and turned to his own plate. He was about to do the same and actually consume the bland-ass pulp of army food when he heard a mocking voice speak.

"Don't get your hopes up, Stickmin." a blonde, surely no older than 20, teased.

"Yeah!" and almost identical guy agreed and added "Charlie is holier-than-thou and won't date you."

He saw his partner sigh tiredly out of the corner of his eye as the ex-criminal tilted his head in confusion at what's presumably twins.

"I know right." the second blonde commented. "A man who doesn't wanna fuck? Or maybe he just has such small stuff that he's emba--"

He was cut off by a splat of mashed potatoes hitting him square in the face.

Henry turned to Charles, who has obviously thrown the vegetable mush, and smirked. Henry's attitude was rubbing off on the other man. He was glad the helicopter pilot could stand up for himself, even though he wasn't quite sure what the men - no, boys, both in body and apparently mind - were refering to. He did catch they were mocking him too, shipping him with Charles or something, so at least that he could comprehend and be annoyed about.

"Oh, come on, Charlie." the other twin said as his look-alike was getting food off of his face. "You know it's weird."

"No, you listen, Calvin. And your brother too." the pilot replied, visibly trying to keep his cool. "My preferences are not your business. Doubly so because I outrank you."

Henry would not let his bro be affected by those dickheads.

"You two better stop fucking with my partner here." Henry said, trying his best not to sound scratchy. He really needed to use his voice more, but then again, most people he knew weren't worth conversing with. Case in point... "Or you might wake up tonight with a helicopter coming straight at you." 

Charles apparently couldn't help but snort at this one. Of course he would threaten them with The Greatest Plan(TM). 

That seemed to shut the two up. What was the guy's name again? Calvin? He should write that down on his hate list later.

\---

Henry wondered for the rest of the day, just what the guys were refering to. He knew it wasn't his business, but... he was naturally curious, alright??

"Hey" he called as Charles changed into comfortable pants and a tank top, in which he usually slept, and put his trusted red headset on the night table. They had no issue about dressing in the same room. Henry was straight and Charles said 'he isn't gay', so there was no issue.

The man looked at Henry, who was sitting on his bed, in their shared sleeping quarters. "Yeah?" he eventually prompted.

"In mess hall. What was that about?" Henry asked simply, to the point.

"Oh." Charles said and got quiet for a moment. The ex-criminal almost thought the matter has been awkwardly dropped, when the pilot confessed "I'm asexual."

To that, Henry tilted his head in question. He had never heard that word. It was surely some sexual orientation, but he really wasn't knowledgeable in that stuff. His parents were very conservative and he never personally had to look into these things.

"It means that, uhh, I'm not into anyone in that way."

Ah, so that's what that is. Yeah, logically, now the twins' teasing makes sense.

Henry nodded in understanding, considering the matter resolved, and got back to dressing up himself. They had a mission involving a terrorist group tommorow, so he needed all his energy-

He noticed now the pilot was staring confused. They held eye contact for a moment, before the younger man questioned hesitantly "You're just... okay with that?"

It was Henry's turn to be confused.

"You're my bro. Things like that hardly matter." Henry stated simply. After a moment of silence he stood up and walked up to his friend. "You are strong." he said, indicating the other man's now easily seen well-built arms. "Both physically and methaphorically."

He held up his hand, just like they did after defeating the Toppats and almost every other successful mission.

"So don't listen to dickheads who say you're not manly enough." he finished.

"Yeah." the pilot spoke up, with confidence he displayed almost exclusively while flying, while being in his element. "I'm Charles fucking Calvin. With my bro I destroyed the Toppat Clan. Damn right I'm a soldier just like those fuckers." 

Charles' hand flew right into Henry's as they smiled. It was... different than usual. Softer. More personal.

"Okay, don't overinflate your ego, you'll try to crash the helicopter again." Henry teased.

To that, the pilot snorted humorously and gave his partner a playfull push.

And just like that, they were back to normal. 

Besides maybe Charles being a bit less insecure and Henry being even more sure his partner was an exception from his general dislike for humanity.

Henry liked those profits.

**Author's Note:**

> Am I projecting a bit onto Charles here? Yes. Do I care? Nope.  
> Hope it was enjoyable! ^^


End file.
